If this is your first visit, be sure to
check out the FAQ by clicking the
link above. You may have to register
before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages,
select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below.

The Star} Who Is To Start At Point?

Anthony Johnson says Jamaal Tinsley is the starter. Tinsley says Johnson should continue to start. Sarunas Jasikevicius, the third point guard in the group, just wants to play, anywhere.

The coach, well, he doesn't want to address the issue yet.

As much as Indiana Pacers coach Rick Carlisle doesn't wish to talk about it, he knows eventually he'll have two decisions to make about his trio of point guards: who starts, and how can he manage playing time for all three?

"I don't know; it's not really a conversation until it's a reality," Carlisle said. "We'll see. A lot can happen between now and when (Tinsley) comes back. It's a situation that we'll resolve when it comes time to resolve it."

Tinsley, the team's starter at the beginning of the season, continues to make progress on the right elbow injury that has sidelined him the past 12 games. He is practicing on his own, but neither he nor the team has set a return date.

A player isn't supposed to lose his starting job to injury, but Johnson has grabbed hold of the role and is doing his best not to let go.

Johnson, filling in for Tinsley for the second consecutive season, is averaging 10.5 points and 5.1 assists as a starter compared to 4.1 points and 2.4 assists off the bench this season. He's averaging 17.2 points and 6.4 assists over the past five games.

"He's playing great right now," Detroit Pistons coach Flip Saunders said. "I said one of the reasons they're playing so well right now is because of the play of Johnson and the play of (Danny) Granger. Those two guys have stepped up and they're playing at an extremely high level."

Carlisle won't say that Johnson will remain the starter when Tinsley returns, but the coach said Johnson will get an opportunity to keep the job.

"We need him to continue to play well to have a chance to keep having some success," Carlisle said. "He's making a strong case to be the starter."

Tinsley, on pace to play less than half the season for a second consecutive year, said he plans to tell coaches he is fine coming off the bench.

"It's a good thing that A.J. is playing well," Tinsley said. "Right now, how he's playing, I don't even want to come back and start. I think he's been playing good and he's doing a great job for us. I just want to come back and help the team. The chemistry is going good. That's my thing."

It's no secret how much better Tinsley makes the Pacers when he's healthy. Boston Celtics coach Doc Rivers said earlier this season the Pacers wouldn't have beaten his team in the playoffs last season if Tinsley hadn't returned for Game 5. Tinsley's style is tailored to the Pacers' new up-tempo style.

"My point on it is, Jamaal is definitely the starter," said Johnson, who began the season as the third point guard. "Jamaal is definitely the more talented of the three. There's no question about that. At the same time, we have to see where he's at since he's been out for a long period of time. You have to do what's best for the team. If that means starting him or bringing him off the bench, that's a decision for Rick to make.

"I feel like I've thrown my hat in the ring by playing well. Whether it's starting or coming off the bench, I just want to be in the rotation."
Jasikevicius and Johnson have said they'll play shooting guard, but neither feels comfortable there because neither would have the ball in his hands as much.

"I have no idea what's going to happen," said Jasikevicius, who likely will be the third point guard when Tinsley returns. "I've been a backup ever since I've been here. I've been Jamaal's backup, then when Jamaal went down, I was A.J.'s backup. I don't know what my role is going to be. It doesn't matter who is starting, I'm the backup. That's one thing that was very strange. At the same time, that's the way it works."

Re: The Star} Who Is To Start At Point?

"It's a good thing that A.J. is playing well," Tinsley said. "Right now, how he's playing, I don't even want to come back and start. I think he's been playing good and he's doing a great job for us. I just want to come back and help the team. The chemistry is going good. That's my thing."

Looks like the team itself is on the same page that PD is on. I agree with the article that when Tinsley is healthy he can be a much better pg for this team. Especially with the new free flowing offensive philosophy that we have developed. But AJ starting when Tins gets back is definetely the way to go. The only thing that alarms me is what Saras said at the end. Seems like he is a little restless. Hopefully that just motivates him to go out and play harder and not be a pain in the locker room.

Re: The Star} Who Is To Start At Point?

Man that Tinsley sure has a bad additude. We had better get his self-aggrandizing hates his team mates *** off this team. Never mind that in the rest of the league if a player is injured he does not lose his starting job no matter how good the player who replaced him is playing. What a selfish ******* Tinsley must is to have that bad of an additude.

In case you are new to the board the above statement of mine is sarcasm. I am making fun of all the Tinsley haters who have decided he has a bad additude because every once in a while when they show him on the bench he is not smiling. Never mind that we have seen that same look from other great malcontents like Shaq, J.O., Tim Duncan while on the bench they can clearly see into Tinsley's heart and see that he is a hater.

Re: The Star} Who Is To Start At Point?

"I have no idea what's going to happen," said Jasikevicius, who likely will be the third point guard when Tinsley returns. "I've been a backup ever since I've been here. I've been Jamaal's backup, then when Jamaal went down, I was A.J.'s backup. I don't know what my role is going to be. It doesn't matter who is starting, I'm the backup. That's one thing that was very strange. At the same time, that's the way it works."

Re: The Star} Who Is To Start At Point?

This must be the calm before the storm. I can't believe this thread isn't 4 pages by now.

I'll get things started.

AJ - "Tinsley should start"
Tins - "AJ should start"
Cabbage - "I don't know why that idiot's never started me, and I don't care anymore. Just as long as I get my minutes."

Cabbage - "I don't know why that idiot's never started me, and I don't care anymore. Just as long as I get my paycheck." This is not a slight on him, but rather on the situation in which the Pacers put him. He sounds really frustrated. I think that either he or RC has to go by the start of next season.

On a side note, I think that it is rather funny that the team produced all those face shirts for a player that they ended up using as a third string PG. It is like being able to buy a Eddie Gill face shirt.

p.s. Before any of our Lithuanian friends attack me (don't want to go there again...), I blame the team for not getting RC's input before signing the guy. This is a bad situation that would be much worse if Saras did not have enough class to not make a really big deal out of it.

Re: The Star} Who Is To Start At Point?

"I have no idea what's going to happen," said Jasikevicius, who likely will be the third point guard when Tinsley returns. "I've been a backup ever since I've been here. I've been Jamaal's backup, then when Jamaal went down, I was A.J.'s backup. I don't know what my role is going to be. It doesn't matter who is starting, I'm the backup. That's one thing that was very strange. At the same time, that's the way it works."

Sounds to me like Saras was bamboozled. I'm beginning to think that Bird lured him over here with the idea of him starting.

Probably went something like this...

LB: Hey Runi, how are things going?

Saras: Well pretty good actually. I've been thinking about the rest of my career and I might be ready to make the jump to the NBA.

LB: Really thats great!

Saras: Yeah, my friend Zydrunas plays in Cleveland. I've also heard that they have a new young offensive powerhouse at the wing positions. As a guy who likes to set up the offense, I could really have some success having such a good post player and wing player with me.

LB: Thats true, however I'm not sure how much you'll get to play with those two. I hear that Cleveland is pretty happy about their point guard position. They'd probably put you at the bottom and see if you could work your way up. That could take a couple of seasons.

Saras: Do you think so? I mean I talked with their coach Mike Brow...

LB: I'm quite familiar with their coach. In fact he used to coach here in Indiana. Let's just say that he was our "assistant" for a reason..hehehe.

Saras: Well that murkies up the water. Hmmm....

LB: Well tell ya what Runi, I'd like you to consider the Indiana Pacers. We have one of the best post scorers in the game, and we have a wing player who has won Defensive Player of the Year and averages around 20 points per game.

Saras: Well what about your point guards?

LB: I can't garuntee anything per se, but lets put it this way. Our starter is more than injury prone. In fact its becoming quite the burden, and honestly I'm not sure if he is going to work out here. And our backup has never started for team he has ever played for. Now correct me if I'm wrong, but your a three-time champ, MVP, gold medal winning caliber player, right? If I were you, I'd like my chances.

Saras: Yeah, that sounds great! Oh and I'd get to keep my current number right?

LB: Oh probably, I can't remember all the numbers we have.

Basically, I don't expect one of these three back next year. All of them are too good to be third string pg's, and conversly too bad/too injury prone to be starters.

Re: The Star} Who Is To Start At Point?

Saras should start. The team plays much better with him on the court. If he averaged around 30 minutes he would be in the mid teens in scoring and around 7 or 8 assists per game. He gets everyone involved.

Re: The Star} Who Is To Start At Point?

Saras should start. The team plays much better with him on the court. If he averaged around 30 minutes he would be in the mid teens in scoring and around 7 or 8 assists per game. He gets everyone involved.

Re: The Star} Who Is To Start At Point?

Saras should start. The team plays much better with him on the court. If he averaged around 30 minutes he would be in the mid teens in scoring and around 7 or 8 assists per game. He gets everyone involved.

Re: The Star} Who Is To Start At Point?

"It's a good thing that A.J. is playing well," Tinsley said. "Right now, how he's playing, I don't even want to come back and start. I think he's been playing good and he's doing a great job for us. I just want to come back and help the team. The chemistry is going good. That's my thing."

"My point on it is, Jamaal is definitely the starter," said Johnson, who began the season as the third point guard. "Jamaal is definitely the more talented of the three. There's no question about that. At the same time, we have to see where he's at since he's been out for a long period of time. You have to do what's best for the team. If that means starting him or bringing him off the bench, that's a decision for Rick to make.

Interesting that Tinsley and AJ both spent their time talking about the other guy. That speaks of really good chemistry.

Sarunas spent his time talking about himself. But that's probably an improvement over him talking about other people.

Welcome to Pacers Digest! New around here? Here are three tips for making the forum a great place to talk about Pacers basketball.

Log in. Even if you want to read instead of post, it's helpful because it lets you:

Create an ignore list. I know it may seem unneighborly. But you're here to talk about the Pacers, not argue with someone who's just looking for an argument. Most of the regular users on here make use (at least occasionally) of the "Ignore" feature. Just go to "Settings" -> "Edit Ignore List" and add the names.

Re: The Star} Who Is To Start At Point?

I pretty much agree to everything you wrote.
IMO Saras did not get the chance he deserves, and obviously RC doesn't think much of him. This is really sad to me, as someone who believes Saras has a lot more to offer for NBA fans.

Anthony Johnson says Jamaal Tinsley is the starter. Tinsley says Johnson should continue to start. Sarunas Jasikevicius, the third point guard in the group, just wants to play, anywhere.
-snip-

Good thing he's had such a great attitude about playing SG.

Meanwhile, Fred Jones has solidified the backup SG position.

Hope he doesn't get any splinters from sitting on the pine.

BTW, I'm LMAO at Ragnar. Great post.

Why do the things that we treasure most, slip away in time
Till to the music we grow deaf, to God's beauty blind
Why do the things that connect us slowly pull us apart?
Till we fall away in our own darkness, a stranger to our own hearts
And life itself, rushing over me
Life itself, the wind in black elms,
Life itself in your heart and in your eyes, I can't make it without you

Re: The Star} Who Is To Start At Point?

I think Saras' back injury that is RARELY talked about is affecting his play a lot. The first ten games or so as a Pacer, he was living up to the hype and that was before he was even acclimated to his surroundings.

Now I don't have much confidence in his shot and I think his injuries and how he is not used to the rigorous NBA schedule have worn on him. I still feel like Saras will impress a lot of people his 2nd year, something he hasn't done a lot of yet.

I think Saras will reach his peak in his third year, then get a contract he doesn't deserve from a lower tier team. But i like our chances. I still think signing Saras was a good move, better than picking up Dale Davis thats for sure.

Keeping Stojakovic really needs to be our number one priority over EVERYTHING. If we lose Stojakovic....well I don't even want to think about that.

Regardless, I think Saras struggles recently are relative and I don't think it's fair to evaluate him based on that. Remember the Saras when he first came here, his shot was AUTOMATIC. He will get that back...maybe not this year. Expect a different player next year is all i'm saying.

*removed* Just keep politics and religion completely out of it, please.

Re: The Star} Who Is To Start At Point?

I'd still wait and see what happens in the rest of the season and in the playoffs before making such a bold statement.

Don't expect him to become a starter when Tins returns...
Also don't expect A.J to stop playing when Tins returns...
What you can expect is some kind of time sharing between the p.gs that will surely not allow Saras to hold the keys. In such a context, you just can not expect him to flourish. You know this player.

Create an ignore list. I know it may seem unneighborly. But you're here to talk about the Pacers, not argue with someone who's just looking for an argument. Most of the regular users on here make use (at least occasionally) of the "Ignore" feature. Just go to "Settings" -> "Edit Ignore List" and add the names.

Re: The Star} Who Is To Start At Point?

And to that I can always say: As opposed to that defensive stud Jamaal Tinsley.

Jamaal is light years ahead of Jasuciakldsajdhsajdsabdbnasbdm in defense and all around basketball. We didnt need him before the season and we dont need him now, should have gave Dale his money. He is a so called shooter that cant shoot, and doesnt do us no good, I hope he gets mad and goes back to Europe.

And look at Tinsley pouting, wanting AJ to start. What a *******, this clearly proves that all he cares about is himself.

Re: The Star} Who Is To Start At Point?

Saras has trouble getting the ball up the court against pressure, and is a significant dropoff defensively from Tinsley, nowhere near AJ. Perhaps he sees the court better than either, passes very well, and is a top flight shooter... but the first two negatives are too much to overcome for a NBA PG.
I think he's getting the minutes he should be getting. Hopefully he'll still have some trade value this offseason, because he's not the answer at PG for the Pacers.

Re: The Star} Who Is To Start At Point?

Damn right, AJ is our best defender at the 1, he can get in the lane and he can make the jumpshot. He is a better shooter then Sarunas too, the guy is supposed to be a shooter but he cant shoot, dont do us any good.